1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an apparatus for provisioning telephony services. More particularly, the present invention relates to a service management system for automating the provisioning flow of Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) telephony services.
2. Acronyms and Definitions
The written description provided herein contains acronyms and terms which refer to various communication services and system components. Although known, use of several of these acronyms and terms is not strictly standardized in the art. For purposes of the written description herein, the acronyms and terms will be defined as follows:
AINAdvanced Intelligent NetworkAIN-IPAdvanced Intelligent Network Intelligent PeripheralAPIApplication Programming InterfaceARActivation RequestASN.1Abstract Syntax Notation OneBBuild Service Order TypeBOCBell Operating CompanyBOSSBilling Order Support SystemBTNBilling Telephone NumberCChange Service Order TypeC0SMS to SOAC Route Control Header SectionC3SOAC to SMS Route Control Header SectionCABSCustomer Access Billing SystemCANCancellation Service Order PassCARCancellation Activation RequestCCSCommon Channel SignalingCDWCorporate Data WarehouseCIDCaller IntelliData ®CIDBCustomer Information DatabaseCISESOAC Interface DNS NameCLOPTCommand Line OptionCMISECommon Message Information ServicesElementCNACustomer Network AdministratorCNOCCentralized Network Operations CenterCOCentral OfficeCOMCommunicationsCOMPLEXRefers to a Service that cannot beProvisioned on a Standard SPACETemplate which is ProvisionedManuallyCORCorrection Service Order PassCPCCorrection Post Completion Service OrderPassCPRCall Processing RecordCRISCustomer Records Information SystemCTCControl Code within Subscriber Section ofa Service OrderDDisconnect Service Order TypeDAEMONUNIX Background ProcessDATAGATE ®Client/Server Communication SoftwareDBDatabaseDBMSDatabase Management SystemDCIDistributed Computing IntegratorDDDue DateDGsee DATAGATE ®DNSDomain Name ServerDRSData and Reports SystemDTMFDual-Tone Multiple-FrequencyEASEEasy Access Sales Environment ®ECRSEnhanced Customer Reports SystemEOEnd OfficeFFrom Service Order TypeFCIFFlexible Computing Interface FormatFIDFeature IdentifierFIMFeature Interaction ManagerFMLField Manipulation LanguageFT ARFlow Through Activation RequestsGOMGeneric Order ManagementGPGroup Section of a Service OrderGUIGraphical User InterfaceHOLHistorical Order LogICFIntelligent Call ForwardingIMGImage Section of a Service OrderInward ActivityThe Addition of AIN Services to anAccountISCPIntegrated Service Control PointLSPLocal Service ProviderMA ARManual Assistance Activation RequestsMARCH ™Memory Administration Recent ChangeMSGMessage Section of a SOAC ReplyMVS-WSF2IBM Multiple Virtual System —WriterService FacilityNNew Connect Service Order TypeNENetwork ElementNEGACKNegative AcknowledgmentNOCNetwork Operations CenterNPANumber Plan AreaNXXCentral Office CodeOA&MOperations Administration & MaintenanceODROrder Section of a Service OrderORDNOOrder Number FieldOSOperating SystemOSSOperations Support SystemsOTOrder Type FieldOutward ActivityThe Deletion of AIN Services from anAccountPATROLVendor Supplied Software Alert SystemUsed to Issue Messages to Pagers,etc.PCIFPersonal Computer Interface BetweenCustomer Personal Computers and theSMS SystemPCNPost Completion Notice Service Order PassPCSPieces DatabasePIDPositive IdentifierPOSACKPositive AcknowledgmentPREPre-Completion Service Order PassPSTNPublic Switched Telephone NetworkRRemove Service Order TypeRCMACRecent Change Memory AdministrationCenterRPCRemote Procedure CallRSCResource Section of a Service OrderSBRSubscriber Section of a Service OrderSCASelective Call Acceptance ®SCCService Switching CenterSCEService Creation EnvironmentSCPService Control PointSDTSoftware Development ToolkitSMDRStation Message Detail RecordingSMSService Management SystemSOACService Order Assignment ControlSOPService Order ProcessorSOPPService Order Pre-Processing (also calledReformat)SORDService Order Retrieval and DistributionSystemSPACEBellcore Service Provisioning andCreation Environment Network ElementSQLStructured Query LanguageSQLStructure Query Language Which is Used toManipulate Relational DatabaseRecords and DataSRUStep Recovery UtilitySS7Signaling System 7SSPService Switching PointSTPSignaling Transfer PointTTo Service Order TypeTARTrack Activation RequestTCAPTransaction Capabilities ApplicationsPartTCP/IPTransmission Control Protocol/InternetProtocolTILTOP Interface LibraryTIPTransaction Interface Program ServiceTNTelephone NumberTOPTransaction Oriented ProtocolTOPCOMTOP CommunicationsTRNTransaction NumberTSYSTransmitting SystemTUXEDOVendor Supplied Transaction Monitor andMessage HandlerUSERLOGA Flat File Containing Various Messagessuch as Events or ErrorsUSOCUniform Service Order CodeVADVoice Activated Dialing SystemWCWire CenterWTNWorking Telephone Numbers
3. Background and Material Information
Traditionally, telephone companies have relied on switch vendors to create new services on central office (CO) switches. Once a switch vendor designed a new service, the telephone companies would market the service to a target audience. A disadvantage of this approach is the length of time required to bring a new service to the market. Typically 3 to 5 years is required to bring a new service to market. In addition, new services need to be re-created for a variety of vendor-specific switches, which may limit the availability of a particular service. Another limitation in the switch-based approach is that the services cannot be customized to a specific customer's needs. In the traditional environment, provisioning of services was performed by Operations Support Systems (OSS). The OSS systems were responsible for mechanizing the flow from ordering to provisioning in switch-based telephony services.
In recent years, a number of new telephone service features have been provided by an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN). The AIN evolved out of a need to increase the capabilities of the telephone network architecture to meet the growing needs of telephone customers. The AIN provides a mechanism by which new services may be created outside of a particular vendor's switch. Each CO in the AIN system is equipped as a Service Switching Point (SSP) which is capable of suspending normal call processing when encountering a “trigger.” The trigger invokes AIN service logic associated with a subscriber. Once a call is triggered, the SSP launches a query through a Signal Transfer Point (STP) in a Common Channel Signaling Network (CCS) to a Service Control Point (SCP). The SCP contains the AIN service logic for the particular subscriber and determines how to handle and route the call. Once the SCP processes the call, the SCP sends the appropriate routing instructions through the STP to the SSP, which then routes the call. Intelligent Peripherals (IP) may be provided to process multi-media services such as announcements, voice activated dialing, etc.
An illustration of the basic components of an AIN architecture is shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, Service Switching Points (SSPs) 36 are provided for sending and receiving data messages from a Service Control Point (SCP) or Integrated Service Control Point (ISCP) 30 via Signaling Transfer Points (STPs) 34. The data messages are communicated to and from the SSPs 36 and the SCP 30 along a Common Channel Signaling (CCS) network 44. Each SSP 36 routes telephone calls between a calling station (e.g., station 50A) and a called station (e.g., station 50G) through the trunked communications network 46 and telephone lines 48. Multi-media applications may be processed at the Intelligent Peripheral 28 attached to the SSP. For more information regarding AIN, see Berman, Roger K., and Brewster, John H., “Perspectives on the AIN Architecture,” IEEE Communications Magazine, February 1992, pp. 27-32, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
In the AIN environment, service orders typically flow through a Service Order Assignment Control (SOAC) system which is produced by Bellcore. SOAC is the primary source of provisioning updates for mass market AIN services that are initiated through the normal service order process. SOAC sends AIN trigger information to the MARCH™ system for automatic switch updates. After the switch is updated, the service order flows to the appropriate billing systems for completion. However, SOAC is limited to provisioning AIN services only, and cannot provision services for non-AIN services.
An example of a prior art service management system includes the PACE SMS, manufactured by Digital Switch Corporation. The PACE SMS is described in more detail in the document entitled “MegaHub® PACE™ SMS—Service Management System—Advanced Intelligent Network Systems,” DSC Communications Corporation, Issue 0.4, Jul. 17, 1994. The DSC PACE system provided network tools to manage and provision intelligent network services. The PACE™ system provides a mechanism for managing service order updates, subscriber version management, provisioning across the AIN network, and service activation. The PACE™ system also includes database management capabilities such as update distribution, roll back and roll forward, audits, login security, and data partitioning. The PACE™ SMS is limited to the AIN environment only, and does not support an interface to SPACE, an interface to SOAC or existing OSS environments, enhanced security for protection of customer data, and tools for service creation.
Also known is a generic service management system deployed by AT&T. The AT&T SMS provides a platform having a set of functions which are re-usable across multiple AIN services and AIN releases, and provides for mass market and complex service management. The AT&T SMS provides a set of configurable, general purpose engines driven by the per-service configurations either by a service package from a Service Creation Environment (SCE) or by customization of the database schema to match a service running in the network element. Like the PACE™ SMS, the AT&T SMS is limited to the AIN environment only, does not fully support existing OSS environments, an interface to SOAC, an interface to SPACE, enhanced security for protection of customer data, and tools for service creation.
While prior service management systems have provided various service provisioning features to subscribers and users, such past attempts have not provided a flexible system which may utilize the advantages of AIN functionality and existing non-AIN systems. In particular, prior attempts have not provided a mechanism for synchronizing service orders originating on multiple, incompatible systems. Past attempts have also failed to match customer specific data with service orders arriving through the traditional service order flow. Further prior systems have not addressed provisioning of mass market, i.e., templated, services and complex services which are not templated. Prior systems also do not provide a single point of access for customer service and repair.
Such features would be highly desirable to developers and provisioners of telephony services, such as regional telephone companies, that desire a flexible system of service creation, provisioning and support.